


appurtenance

by appleofmyrye



Category: Mission: Impossible (Movies)
Genre: Canon Compliant, During The Movie, M/M, Missing Scene, Panic, Phone Calls & Telephones, and was lowkey writing this in my head, i am still dead inside, spoilers for mission impossible: fallout
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-07-29
Updated: 2018-07-29
Packaged: 2019-06-18 06:35:56
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,254
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15479766
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/appleofmyrye/pseuds/appleofmyrye
Summary: Ethan’s fingers close around his phone and he’s dialing without a second thought.





	appurtenance

If Ethan is a scalpel, the White Widow is a spider, terrifyingly beautiful, who knows exactly how her web is spun. Staying in her house, in her web, where she knows every single thing that goes on is unnerving.

It wasn’t his intention to stay here. But every single bridge that the IMF has in Paris, that Ethan has in Paris, has been burned. There is nowhere else to go.

The Widow gestures at him to follow her after they go through the plan, and Ethan does. Her robe swirls, and her mouth is turned up at the corners in a way that makes him extremely uncomfortable.

(She walks with calculated grace, each step with purpose, the delicate dance of her namesake.)

The house is a maze. Every door is the same, every hallway ends in a fork. Ethan would get lost without a guide.

It’s exactly what the Widow wants, and it makes him nauseous.

She leaves in front of a door that looks exactly like the rest, disappearing down the hallway in seconds. Nowhere else to go.

(Nowhere to hide.)

Ethan enters the room.

His back hits the wall the second the door closes behind him, phone and gun clattering to the floor as he slides to the floor.

(How did he remain standing this long? It seems like every muscle in his body has been pushed to its limit.)

Solomon Lane is the only way to get to the plutonium. Springing him out of a prison transport is the only way to get the plutonium. Killing innocent people, people not involved in this struggle at all, is the only way to get the plutonium.

(This feels wrong. It should feel right. He’s doing the right thing.

Right?)

This is the most irresponsible thing he’s going to have ever done in his life, and innocent people might die in the process, and, and-

Ethan’s fingers close around his phone and he’s dialing without a second thought.

Will picks up the phone after two rings. “Brandt.”

“I love you. I love you. I love you. I lo-“

“Ethan?”

“Will. Will. The line between right and wrong is blurred, and I’m not sure I’m on the right side anymore, and I’m not sure what I know anymore except that I love you so much it hurts, and I miss you, and I wish you were with me right now-“

“Ethan, you need to focus up right now. Tell me what’s going on.”

“I’m about to do something so colossally stupid it puts everything else we’ve ever done to shame.”

“That sounds like an everyday occurrence. What makes this thing special?”

“I have to free Solomon Lane.”

“What?”

“It’s the only way to get the plutonium back - that’s the trade. Lane for the plutonium. I’m working with the White Widow.”

Will pauses for a second. “The White Wido- Ethan, are you serious?”

“Yes. It’s her plan - well, her brother’s plan - and it’s not a good plan. Lots of people get hurt. But it’s the only way to free Lane, right?”

“Have you come up with your own plan?”

“Of course. And it’s much, much better than the one he has.”

“That’s not what’s bothering you.”

This is why he loves Will - they are thousands of miles apart, and Will still reads him like a book.

“It isn’t right! Lane shouldn’t be able to run free, no matter what the circumstances are. Nothing makes sense anymore. The missions, our missions, what do they accomplish?Sometimes the world is saved, and the people in it, but the things we have to do to ensure the safety of the people?”

The words come out in a rush, an uncontrollable flow of near nonsense.

“You’re panicking.”

“What? No. I don’t panic. Where did you get that from-“

Will laughs quietly. “You called me. You’re not supposed to call me. You immediately start telling me you love me as fast and as many times as possible. I love you too, by the way.”

“What else was I supposed to do? You keep me grounded.”

“You can tell me that the next time you throw yourself off of a building. Ethan, I know you’re full of shit. Are your hands shaking?”

“Why would they be-“ They’re shaking. They’re definitely shaking. “How did you-“

“You’re panicking. I’m surprised it hasn’t happened earlier in our line of work, but I guess you’re getting older. Little bit more worried about morality now.”

“I can’t panic. I can’t afford to panic. The fate of the world is at stake.”

“The fate of the world is always at stake.”

“The world is at stake and you’re not here helping us save it. I’ll blame somebody later. If I’m panicking, you can distract me, right?”

“I- yes.”

“What are you up to?”

“The secretary’s got me up at a location I can’t tell you about, doing desk work. Nothing exciting.”

Will is an analyst, sure, a pretty great one, but he’s also a fantastic field agent, and he shouldn’t be on the bench when the situation is this risky.

The bench is the place where information come from, however.

Ethan grabs his gun off of the floor. “If you’re not busy, could you look into someone for me?”

“Right now?”

Clip out - nearly empty. He’s going to need a new one soon. “You said focus. August Walker, CIA.”

“I don’t need to look that one up. He’s bad news, Ethan - probably killed more people than both of us combined, willing to kill just as many more. No someone you want to be around.”

One bullet in the chamber. “It’s a little late for that.He’s here with me.”

“Shit. I wouldn’t trust him as far as I can throw him. If anything goes wrong - and I mean anything - suspect him.”

“He’s an integral part of our plan.”

“Then be on edge. Listen,” Will sighs, shifting audibly. “I have faith in you. Benji has faith in you. Luther has faith in you. The secretary has faith in you. And it’s not about the mission. It’s about you. I know that no matter what the government tells you to do, you will do the right thing. Always have.”

Ethan sets the gun aside on the floor, ready to go. “Ok. I’ll see you soon?”

“As soon as you save the world again. And promise not leave me behind next time.”

“Next time, I won’t even leave the country without you.” Will is an integral part of their team, and Will not being with them feels like driving a car with three wheels.

(Not that it’s impossible. 2008, Mozambique, extraction mission. It just feels wrong.)

“Be careful.”

“When am I not careful?”

“You don’t want me to answer that. I have a list.”

“Ok. Ok. I’ll be careful. I’ll call you if we need you.”

(If Ethan needs him.)

“You’re going to be alright.” Will is so sure, so confident in him that the small amount of panic still left in Ethan’s system melts away, almost too easily.

He is, isn’t he? This is just another mission in a long line of missions. Nothing he can’t handle. His team has his back, they’re going to save the world, and everything is going to end up all right.

No more panic. Get the job done, and get back to Will.

That doesn’t seem too hard. It’s just two things.

“I love you. Don’t die on desk duty.”

“Do you think I could?”

Ethan hangs up with a smile on his face.

**Author's Note:**

> fallout was gr8 but I missed Jeremy Renner and hopefully he does come back for 7 -> have this in the meantime


End file.
